2015 elections: Jonathan covering his tracks, says APC

THE All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation has alleged that the President Goodluck Jonathan administration was beginning to cover its tracks for fear of losing the rescheduled presidential elections.

The campaign organisation said some of the Federal Government’s programmes being implemented by ministries, department and agencies (MDAs) ahead of the presidential election were aimed at protecting the Jonathan administration from the inevitability of General Muhammadu Buhari winning the presidential election and because of his zero-tolerance for corruption.

Director of Media and Publicity of the Organisation, Mallam Garba Shehu, said in a statement that one of such policies was the independent revenue e-collection scheme under the Treasury Single Account initiative.

Shehu described the Federal Government’s beginning of the initiative as “too little, too late” and only predicated on the anticipation of an inevitable win by Gen. Buhari in the March 28 presidential elections.

He said: “These are obviously last-minute attempts by the President Goodluck Jonathan government to plug loopholes in federal revenue collection by centralising the process, a clear reaction to their expectation of Gen. Buhari’s coming to power.”

He said the directive that all revenue collections of MDAs, which used to be deposited in banks, should now be sent directly to the Consolidated Revenue Fund at the Central Bank of Nigeria through electronic payment channels was suspicious.

His words: “They didn’t do this all these years, and now with barely four weeks to go, they suddenly think this is essential. It is even more suspicious when viewed along with the report of the inauguration of the Automated Aviation Revenue Project by the Ministry of Aviation. These people are clearly plugging the loopholes, obviously having stolen enough.

“The idea to plug loopholes is on its own desirable, but it should worry any well-meaning Nigerian that it has taken this administration the better part of nearly six years for it to realise that the bane of this government is outright stealing, waste and mismanagement of resources.”

Shehu recalled Gen. Buhari’s declaration at a Lagos town hall meeting last month that corruption would drop a significant percentage immediately he was announced winner of the elections, even before he began to take formal measures to stem official graft.

“This is a clear manifestation of what the General said. They know they have only four weeks left in government and they have started covering their tracks.”

The APC campaign organisation, however, said the president should blame himself for the poor quality of aides and advise that he has benefited from since his days as deputy governor of Bayelsa State.

According to Shehu, the recent statement credited to the president on the quality of advice he has been receiving from his aides amounts to self-indictment and a revelation of the quality of person of the president.

He added that the revelation by the president was an indication that since he had been in leadership positions, the people have had to cope with mediocre, insincere and poorly thought-out and un-coordinated leadership, adding that it was no wonder that leadership by Jonathan at the national level has been in “fits and starts, lacking coordination, depth and vision and unable in the past six years to lift the country from where he (Jonathan) met it”.

Shehu noted: “We in the APC consider it an act of God, especially a few weeks to the March 28, 2015 presidential polls that President Jonathan who insists on his re-election should make this revelation which to a large extent gives a deep insight into his person and character.

“The president or the leader of the country selects his aides and the reason behind the selection is to enable him understand the country and govern effectively. In the case where aides or advisers fail in their duty, the president or leader ought to accept responsibility as the buck stops on his table.”

I have a question, if these things that APC is claiming that GEJ is doing is to hide his tracks, what if there was time table for them to be executed. i remember before the first ekection dates. u didnt GEJ hurrying to finish anything. all of a sudden APC is using this acts to campaign against GEJ. well i expect GEJ not to be moved. continue to do what is right. thats the meaning of democracy

APC already know that they have failed by presenting GMB as their candidate so they try to use media as a means to distract president Jonathan. The truth is that we Nigeria have known your way and it will never work.

God bless you ALL fellow Nigerians. keep the spirit going. Thank God the scales of lies or falsehood have fallen from the eyes of confused and fearful Nigerians who allowed APC to brainwash them with cheap propaganda and hate speeches against our beloved president. Our gallant President has shocked his enemies and they are no rivals to him at all. Power comes from God and no man can lay claim to political prowess. Please, let us pray for President Goodluck Jonathan, Certainly there is no vacancy in ASO ROCK, GEJ, GOD BLESS NIGERIA!!!

President Shagari too was “clean”. But he Presided meetings with criminals and criminally minded aides. Do we have history repeating itself somewhat, with revenues averaging $12billion coming in monthly or some $150 billion yearly, for almost five years and we have nothing more monumental to show the world for the almost $1trillion national revenue in five years, than a few hundred private jets owned by a few Nigerians.